US Navy Weighs Renaming CVN-81 for Trump, Dropping First Black Aircraft Carrier Honoree
Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 20
US Navy Weighs Renaming CVN-81 for Trump, Dropping First Black Aircraft Carrier Honoree
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Aug 20
Summary
CVN-81 is being discussed inside the Navy for a new name that could honor Donald Trump, replacing the planned USS Doris Miller before the carrier’s keel-laying ceremony later this year.
Internal talks have been underway since early 2026, and the Navy has largely stopped calling the ship USS Doris Miller, using only its hull number as officials review naming rules and whether presidents should be explicitly eligible.
Doris Miller’s family said it was not told of the possible change, though the Navy is considering naming another warship for him and recommending him for the Medal of Honor, which still requires congressional authorization and Trump’s approval.
The move would be unprecedented for a sitting president and would reverse a 2020 decision that made Miller—the Pearl Harbor hero and first Black sailor chosen for an aircraft carrier name—a landmark honoree.
The debate fits a broader Pentagon push under Pete Hegseth to revisit military names tied to diversity and inclusion, after the 2025 order to rename the USNS Harvey Milk.